Improvement in trading-pits



, R. s. JENNINGS.

Trading-Pit No. 203,837. Patented May 21,1878.

UNITED STATES PATENT OE IcE.

REUBEN S. JENNINGS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRADING-PITS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 203,837, dated May 21,1878; application filed December 19, 1877.

) in which- Figure 1 is a plan Fig. 2, a vertical central section of aseries of platforms; and Fig. 3, a vertical central section of atrading-pit, as hereinafter described.

The nature of my invention relates to a pit or series of platforms,consisting of steps of convenient height and width, in the form of orapproximating a circle or octagon, or of other convenient shape or form,facing each other, and descending to a center space, to be placed uponor sunk below the floor of the building in which it is used. If builtupon the floor, it is approached by steps from the outside, and is, forconvenience, made in sections, so as to be easily removed, and it isventilated or warmed through apertures in the risers of the steps, inconnection with pipes placed under the steps, conveying warm or coldair.

In the drawings the pit or series of platforms is represented asoctagonal but it may be in any form or shape desired, so that it be aseries of steps or platforms around a center space, and rising outwardtherefrom with the width of the steps, such as to allow of one personpassing behind another without serious inconvenience to either, and atthe same time narrow enough to induce two persons to avoid occupying thesame step, one behind the other.

The risers of the steps are of suflicient height to permit a man ofordinary height to see over the heads of those in front of him, fromtwenty to twenty-four inches being about the proper width, and from sixto seven inches the proper height. The upper step or platform should besomewhat wider.

The center space should be about five feet in diameter, or as large asmay be Without admitting of enough to crowd. If placed upon the floor,it should have steps from without to furnish convenient access. It ispreferably built in sections A B C D E, &c., to be easily removed whendesired. If sunk below the -fioor, the floor itself forms the upper stepor platform, and steps for approaching it are dispensed with, thussaving about twelve feet in diameter, and it can be floored over whennecessary.

Heatin g and ventilation are effected by means of hot and cold air pipesopening in the space below the steps, which should be a closed space,with convenient apertures inthe risers of the steps to admit the cold orwarm air in the room.

Thus constructed the pit may be filled without inconvenience in the wayof crowding. It also furnishes sufficient standing-room, where personsmay stand and conveniently trade with persons in any other part of thepit or platforms. It has great acoustic advantages over a flat floor fortrading, and it furnishes superior facilities for heating andventilation I am aware that amphitheaters have been made circular orpolygonal, and that various plans have been proposed to heat orventilate themwith air admitted in pipes placed under the seats orfloor; but my invention does not relate to amphitheaters, to whichaccess is always difficult on account of the rows of seats.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. A series of platforms or stepsarranged continuously around and rising from a center space, with abroad platform forming the upper step, and a series of steps around andon the outside of said broad platform, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. A series of platforms forming a pit, and designed to-be placed on orsunk under a floor in sections, so as to be easily removed,substantially as described.

3. A trading-pit formed in removable sections, heated and ventilated byhot or cold air admitted through the risers of the steps from the closedspace or air-chamber under said steps, said air-chamber being suppliedby pipes, substantially as described.

RE UBEN S. JENNINGS.

Witnesses F. A. WOODBURY, J. A. BLAINE.

